Navajo tacos are a southwestern treat that you have to try. Piled high on Indian fry bread with seasoned grounded beef, beans, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, sour cream and anything else you’d like to add. This easy Navajo taco recipe uses a shortcut method for Indian fry bread so they’re ready to serve in no time!
Several years ago, a few women from the Pima Indian tribe taught the ladies in our church how to make delicious Indian Fry Bread. If you’ve never tried fried bread, you are missing out!
Shortly after that night a friend introduced me to an EASY way to get the same flavors and the same results in no time at all and you cannot mess it up– for reals! You can top these babies with honey, jam or powdered sugar, OR you can use them in this EASY Navajo Tacos Recipe. Here is how:
Shortcut Indian Fry Bread Navajo Tacos
Ingredients
for the fry bread
- 24 Rhodes Rolls
- cooking oil
for the tacos
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 package Taco Seasoning Mix, 1.25 ounces
- 1 cup water
- 1- 16 oz can refried beans
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
toppings
- lettuce
- tomato
- sliced olives
- shredded cheddar cheese
- sour cream
- salsa
- guacamole
Directions
- Heat a small pot of oil on the stove. You’ll want it to be about 3-4 inches deep- just enough oil in the bottom to completely cover the dough while frying it.
- Meanwhile, place 3 frozen bread rolls on a plate in the microwave and cook them for 30-45 seconds. You just want them to be soft enough to flatten out, but not too long so they harden around the edges.
- Using your hands, combine 3 rolls of soft dough and flatten them into 1 pancake-like saucer.
- Carefully place your flattened dough into the oil and watch it carefully as it begins to brown. Use metal tongs to flip the dough as needed to ensure the entire piece is golden and cooked through.
- Remove the cooked “fry bread” from the oil and place on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb left-over oil. Repeat with all remaining raw dough saucers.
- Meanwhile, cook the ground beef in large skillet until brown; drain.
- Add seasoning mix and water; cook over low heat for 5 minutes or until thickened.
- Add beans and cheese. Mix well and let it cook for a few minutes, or until beans are warm and cheese is melted. Remove from heat.
- To build your tacos, put 1 fry bread on a plate, top with a few heaping spoonfuls of the ground beef mixture, spreading an even layer over the top, then add your choice of taco toppings.
How To Make Navajo Tacos
Navajo Tacos
Servings: 12 tacos
This easy Navajo taco recipe uses a shortcut method for Indian fry bread so they’re ready to serve in no time!
Ingredients
for the fry bread
- 24 Rhodes Rolls
- cooking oil
for the tacos
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 package Taco Seasoning Mix, 1.25 ounces
- 1 cup water
- 16 oz refried beans
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
toppings
- lettuce
- tomato
- sliced olives
- shredded cheddar cheese
- sour cream
- salsa
- guacamole
Instructions
- Heat a small pot of oil on the stove. You’ll want it to be about 3-4 inches deep- just enough oil in the bottom to completely cover the dough while frying it.
- Meanwhile, place 3 frozen bread rolls on a plate in the microwave and cook them for 30-45 seconds. You just want them to be soft enough to flatten out, but not too long so they harden around the edges.
- Using your hands, combine 3 rolls of soft dough and flatten them into 1 pancake-like saucer.
- Carefully place your flattened dough into the oil and watch it carefully as it begins to brown. Use metal tongs to flip the dough as needed to ensure the entire piece is golden and cooked through.
- Remove the cooked “fry bread” from the oil and place on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb left-over oil. Repeat with all remaining raw dough saucers.
- Meanwhile, cook the ground beef in large skillet until brown; drain.
- Add seasoning mix and water; cook over low heat for 5 minutes or until thickened.
- Add beans and cheese. Mix well and let it cook for a few minutes, or until beans are warm and cheese is melted. Remove from heat.
- To build your tacos, put 1 fry bread on a plate, top with a few heaping spoonfuls of the ground beef mixture, spreading an even layer over the top, then add your choice of taco toppings.
Notes
Nutritional info does not include the oil used for frying, or desired toppings.
Nutrition
Serving: 2 tacos · Calories: 346 kcal · Carbohydrates: 44 g · Protein: 13 g · Fat: 13 g · Saturated Fat: 4 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 4 g · Trans Fat: 0.5 g · Cholesterol: 32 mg · Sodium: 770 mg · Potassium: 166 mg · Fiber: 4 g · Sugar: 6 g · Vitamin A: 352 IU · Vitamin C: 1 mg · Calcium: 61 mg · Iron: 3 mg
Other Notes
More Easy Taco Recipes
If you loved these easy Navajo tacos, you’ll love one of these other simple taco recipes!
- 3 Ingredient Crock Pot Chicken Tacos
- Baked Tilapia Fish Tacos
- BBQ Chicken Tacos Recipe
- 10 Tasty Taco Ideas
How hot do you heat your oil to? Or on stove top (low, med, high)? 🙂 I am adding this to my menu now! YUM!
I always heat my oil on the stove over high heat. I dont know the exact temp, but to make sure the oil is hot enough, I run my fingers under the kitchen faucet and then flick drops of water into the oil. If the oil starts to pop and sizzle once the water touches it, it is ready!
Oops forgot to link the video!
http://youtu.be/rKYsCTbOzD8
That’s awesome! Thanks for the tips, Regina!
I’m Navajo and this video is exactly the way we make our frybread. Very simple. Blue Bird is the best flour to use and I find it at Kroger stores. I add a tiny bit of salt to mine because I prefer savory over the sweetened versions. We don’t usually use measurements but estimate in handfuls lol. The dough should be very very soft. Don’t overwork the dough. Do it like she did in the beginning with your fingertips then add small amounts of the water to combine the little crumbles in the bottom of the bowl while you gently mix and knead. The girl in the video didn’t specify how long to let the dough rest but it is usually about 30 minutes. You’ll find other recipes online that use milk and other ingredients. This is the authentic way. Flatten gently like she did and then toss the dough back & forth between your hands and shape the edges like she does in the video. When you place into the oil make sure the dough is very thin. If it tears a little, just pinch it back together. Make sure the oil is hot or your frybread will be really soggy. Using paper towels is better because it also absorbs some of the surface oils. I also place a sheet in between each one. Good luck! This stuff is delicious!
HI, can these be drained on a wire rack rather than paper towels, so they don’t get soggy?
I would wish for you to share the recipe the Pima ladies shared with your ladies group.
I wish I had the recipe! If I ever get it, I will share it for sure!
which variety of Rhodes rolls did you use? They have the regular ones & the quick-baking ones. Does it matter?
I used regular, but I don’t think it matters for this recipe.
I grew up in Southern Arizona and love love love Mexican food. We use a different base – made of masa flour and water and then fried – but the topping are generally the same – try adding a fried egg or two on top. So delicious and takes it to the next level!
I was just at a Mexican restaurant on Saturday and they had the option of adding a fried egg to some of there dishes for an extra dollar or two and that sounded so weird to me. I think you’ve convinced me to try it next time! 🙂
I have never heard of fry bread, but this looks amazing!
Try it- you will LOVE it!!!